Overcoming running injury and downtime

By Amanda Ghent, Elite Runner, Blogger

Training goes well until, well, it doesn’t.  I’m sure for many folks, that’s been the case a time or two.  For me, that seems to have been the story line of the last chapter as we’ve begun the “re-entry” phase since the Covid-19 pandemic.

I was actually set to run the Wilmington Marathon in March, when, 15 days prior to the race, the global pandemic cancelled it (and every other race under the sun).  Instead of following through with a virtual 26.2 mile run that planned weekend, I cut back my miles a bit before I would eventually start ramping them up again during Covid training.  For 56 straight days, I walked out of my door and up my driveway and ran completely alone.  Some days were short runs, some were 2 hours, some were tempo runs or workouts, some were even done in the rain.  On day 57, I woke up to get ready for the run and had a BIG problem, I couldn’t bare weight on my right knee. I could barely walk, much less run. All of the sudden, training took an immediate halt.

(See photo above.)

Turns out, I needed a few weeks of ZERO running and a lot of other resources and tools to heal and get back to a place of being able to move again.  What exactly did I do?

1. I picked up a new hobby with riding the ElliptiGo! It’s a radical and exhilarating super-efficient way of keeping fitness intact. It mimics the motion of running, similar to an elliptical machine, but a bike that you ride standing up! I’ve had a blast working to grow fitness on the bike through long rides around town and inside on the stationary trainer. Perhaps qualifying for the ElliptiGo World Championships is now on my radar.
   
2. I slept. If you goggle “most effective recovery technique” for intense training, 9/10 times you’ll find structured rest and sleep at the very top.  So, instead of getting out of the door before the sun was up, and out of safety reasons of being alone, I slept in most mornings 1-2 hours more than usual.  There were even some afternoons that I took a nap. I understand the effects of COVID-19 quarantine made that a little more feasible for me, so I took advantage of it while I could.
3. I adjusted my goals. Of course without races on the immediate horizons, I had no reason to rush recovery.  Slow and steady, patience and practice.  It was a physical and mental reminder that I had many days ahead of me to be running, I should enjoy these days of staying active, keeping fitness, and working my way back to a healthy body.
4. I was supported. Sure, by friends and family, but physically by Os1st compression products.  Os1st is the only compression sleeve with targeted zone technology. 
   

The highest quality medical-grade compression sleeves and braces provide structure for just about any and all parts of the body that may experience pain from training.  For me in this season, the KS7 performance knee sleeve has helped alleviate discomfort, reduce swelling, and promote circulation during my walk/runs. I love that it brought extra support and stability while moving and it didn’t add any extra temperature to the already hot and humid mornings.

5. Sure I wore the KS7 knee sleeve while running, but at night, I was quick to put on a pair the compression bracing socks (full calf toe to knee).

These FS4+ socks provide relief for ankle swelling, varicose veins, Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, heel/arch pain, and shin splints while also improving recovery.  One of my signature positions at night after dinner is putting my legs up the wall wearing compression socks for the ultimate relief!

Thankfully after two months now, I’m making my way back to training and I’ve worked up to 3-4 runs a week and increasing mileage little by little, while managing very minimal pain.  I’m hopeful we will have a chance to do a few road races later in the fall, and I’ll even be on the trail this weekend in a very modified annual race.  But one thing is for sure and always good to remember….each step in the journey is a new season, perfect for learning and growing and I think I’ve benefited the most out of this particular one.